Artist wants to make giant wooden bong to increase town’s tourism

Roadside attractions are often quirky, but this one takes the cake. Paul Pearson, an artist living in New South Wales, Australia wants to make a giant wooden bong his town’s chief tourist attraction, and it’s easy to see why — the town’s name is Woodenbong after all.

Paul Pearson would like to build and erect a massive wooden bong in town as a way to increase tourism. He wants the landmark to be bigger than the “Big Merino,” a 50-foot concrete merino ram in Goulburn, meaning this smoking device would be pretty tough to ignore.

Pearson is an expert at making bong of all sizes and material. His latest creation is a 3.2-foot wooden bong.

In an interview with ABC News, Pearson revealed his plan for the bong to function as an information center and history museum and explained to The New York Times that the project could generate “trillions of dollars.”

Other residents, however, aren’t too enthused by the idea. Chris Reid, president of the Progress Association, which raises money for local projects, said to The New York Times, “I haven’t spoken to one person that thinks it’s a good idea. We don’t want to promote drug use.” The idea is also said to have offended indigenous people, as the town’s name supposedly translates from a local aboriginal language as “duck on water” or “place of the platypus,” according to ABC News.

Despite the criticism, Pearson is convinced that the project would attract crowds and save the town from dying. He also expressed that “the comedy factor speaks for itself.”

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